The use of piping is one of the most important methods of transporting fluids from one location to another location. Water, for example, is transported from a potable water plant to a residential home via a complex network of pipes. Similarly, other fluids such as natural gas and gasoline are transported from one location to another via complex networks of pipes. These complex networks of pipes typically include, inter alia, many branches, elbows, and terminations, all of which are necessary to direct the fluid being transported, often with the fluid under pressure.
As in the case of branches or elbows, it is often necessary connect a second, usually smaller pipe to a first, larger pipe so as to modify the direction or flow of a fluid. For example, it may sometimes be necessary to "tap" into a water main pipe to provide a water supply to a new location (e.g., a new building.)
Originally, when such connections were required, artisans employed saddle fittings. Saddle fittings provide the advantage of allowing a second pipe to be connected to a first pipe by simple forming a hole in the wall of the first pipe instead of having to cut the entire first pipe to make room for a "tee" fitting which would otherwise be used. However, connection of saddle fittings to the pipe or pipes being "tapped" requires preparation of both the saddle surface and the tapped pipe surface for the acceptance of bonding or cementing agents (e.g., primers and glues) in the case of plastic pipes and fittings. Depending on the size of the saddle, the time for this preparation may be quite extensive. Similarly, the amount of cementing agents required to cement or bond the saddle fitting to the pipe being "tapped" may also be quite large. When the time and material required for one such "tap" is compounded by all such "taps" required for a particular project, the time and materials involved can be quite significant. Moreover, such "saddle taps" mount the fittings only on the surface of the main pipe and thus rely solely on the shear strength of the bonding or cementing agents which results often in connections that can be easily sheared off. Accordingly, a fitting which does not suffer from the above mentioned disadvantages is desired.